Bitless bridle



E. P. DE FRANCE.

- BITLESS BRIDLE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.10.1919.

Patented Mar, 9,1920.

m INVENTOR 4 ATTORNEY UNITED STATEb ELLSWORTH P. DE FRANCE, 0]? LAKESIDE, NEBRASKA.

BITLESS BRIDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 10, 1919. Serial No. 329,860.

1 b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLSWORTH P. De FRANCE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lakeside, in the county of Sheridan and State of Nebraska, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bitless Bridles, of which the following is a complete specification.

The present invention pertains to harness and aims to provide an improved bridle of the bitless type, which will be of a humane character, while retaining all the properties of checking or restraining the animal.

To this end I have devised a bridle comprising a headstall with nose band and check member slidingly engaging the band and operated to compress the latter tightly about the nostrils of the animal.

It is also sought to provide an improved. article of this character, including a nose' band of loop form and throat latch adjust-l ably connected thereto and adapted to be conveniently fitted to take up all the slack 'in said nose band.

The nature of the invention will now be described by reference to the accon'ipanying drawing illustrating one'form of construction, after which the novel features will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the improved bridle in its position for use;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, illustrating the lower portion of the bridle and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the nose band, with the check members fitted thereon.

Referring to the drawing in detail, this 7 shows the bridle as comprising a headstall,

composed of a browband 5. and cheek straps 6, carrying loops 7 at'their lower end, said loops being connected by a nosestrap 8. The lower forked ends of the band 5 are provided with loops 9, which support the front of a nose band 10, adapted to be supported low over the nostrils of the animal, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the side portions of said band being slidingly accommodated within sleeves 12, formed in check members or levers 13, which are pivotally supported by the loops 7. The check levers 13 are of suitable length and adapted for the, attachment of checkrein 14. ,The bridle further comprises a rope 15, which is suitably of the browband The nose band 10 is formed wlth a knot 16 at itsrear end, where Patented Mar. 9,1920.

the rope 15 is looped about said band a sufii- 'cient number of times to effect a reasonably snug fit of the noseband when in position for use. i

With the construction shown and applied as described, it is apparent that an efiective bridle structure is provided in which the check members normally merely slide upon the side portions of the nose band, but when a restraining force is required-,the swinging of the check members upon thelr pivots by pulling on the rein 14., crimps the noseband and obviously compresses the animalss nos- .trils in such a manner as to effectually curb any unruly tendency. Under all normal circumstances the bridle is comfortable and humane to the animal, while sacrificing none of the essential requirements of a bridle. The article is furthermore conveniently adjustable to fit the animal by virtue of the peculiar form of the noseband having the knot at the rear end to which the throat latch is adjustably attached.-

While I have shown and described what I now regard as the preferred form of construction, I desire to reserve the right to make such changes-as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: V

1. A bitless bridle comprising a head stall, a throat latch and nose band supported from said head stall, and check levers carried by the head stall and formed with sleeve portions slidingly engaging the side portions of said nose band.

2. A bitless bridle comprising a headstal],

a throat latch and nose band supported ELLSWORTH P. DE FRANCE. 

